Cake Boss Buddy Valastro demonstrates techniques at Kimmel Center

Ask most people if they know who Bartolo Valastro Jr. is and they’re likely to respond with a blank stare. Then, ask if they’re familiar with the “Cake Boss” or Buddy Valastro and watch the recognition level rise.

Valastro is the Cake Boss -- a baker from Hoboken, New Jersey, who is the star of TLC’shit television reality series “Cake Boss.”

Not only has Valastro carved out a niche with his television show, he has also converted the show’s popularity into a successful live show that periodically goes out on tour.

He will start a new tour this weekend in Massachusetts -- the “Buddy Valastro: Homemade for the Holidays Tour.” The tour will stop at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia on Nov. 27.

Advertisement

“I did my first live show about 2½ years ago,” said Valastro, during a recent phone interview from Hoboken. “It worked better than I thought it would. I’ve done over 100 shows already so I’m now pretty comfortable. Growing up in a bakery -- that’s where I learned to interact with people.

“On this tour, I’m doing about 20 shows. It’s a totally different show than the previous ones. It’s a holiday show. I took things from the old show that I liked but this one is especially put together as a holiday show.”

The show is like a cake-fueled amusement park ride featuring approximately two hours of lively entertainment straight through with no intermission to slow things down.

In addition to sharing a taste of the incredible homestyle dishes that he cooks up for his friends and family, Valastro will demonstrate the techniques that have made him the most famous cake artist in the country.

The “Cake Boss” will share behind-the-scenes stories from his hit TV show, answer audience questions and even bring several lucky members of the audience up on stage for cupcake and cake decorating.

“People have told me that they want me to do more demonstrations so I’m doing that,” said Valastro. “I’m going to make some cakes -- holiday-themed cakes -- and tell some stories.

“There will probably be three or four cakes that we’ll be decorating. Then, we’ll have contests to see who gets to take home the cakes. The contests could be anything -- egg-cracking, ‘Cake Boss’ trivia, maybe a dance contest.

“There is Q&A in it and there are a couple surprises. The finale will be a family relay where a family has to make something in a short period of time to win the grand prize. The whole show is just clean family fun.”

The “Buddy Valastro: Homemade for the Holidays Tour” will have a performance on November 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kimmel Center (Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, www.kimmelcenter.org). Tickets are $35.75 and $45.75.